Wichita eagle., 1887-03-27
AWAY OUT IN KANSAS.
The Rapid Growth Of Western City
Described.
from the Kingston IN. ~ Freeman

| From the Kingston IN. ~ Freeman.
Miss Jesse L. Clark, recently a teacher
in Kingston academy, in this city, is now
teaching in Wichita. Kansas She write,
rs follows to the Freeman: Most eastern
people have heard Of the rapid growth OF
western cities; but perhaps few solid fact:
will convince them that it is not all talk
| propose to tell you few things abou
Wichita. which is one of the marvels Of
the west.
rhe land on which Wichita is LOCATED
was homesteaded in 1870, and it was incnr
porated as a city Of the third class: in 1875
as one Of the second class. and in 1885 a.
one Of the first class In 1880 the pOpula
ton was less than 5000; in 1888. 8. 900; in
1884, 12,474; in 1885. 1903, and now il
claims between $1,000 and 10000. l.
there anything wrong in calling this mar
| Vicious?
| Wichita occupies about three miles nortli
and three south-nine square miles, or
about 5. 100 acres At the first settlement
the value Of the land ranged from So to
$40 an acre. At the close of 1855 the value
of the taxable property was $50, 0O0. 900,
or about 5000 an acre. The value is in
creasing every day, and now the value is
Yearly $4,000 All acre, that is, the averrge
value
ine north and the central parts of the
city are thickly built up, and the west and
the southern parts are building very rapid
ly. Without exaggeraiion people in the
southern part see q new house and barn al
| most every day. During the year 1885
200 dwelling houses and 6S brick bust
ness hOuses-53 of them three stories-were
erected, the cost aggregating over S 500,
700. Besides these were other buildings.
which shall notice hereafter At p.-,.t mt
several fine business blocks are being
| erected and more are in cOnsd..ra-
| ton. Wichita has seven wholesale grocery
houses, carrying iamensc stocks; two
wholesale dry goods houses two wholesale
furniture and carpet houses. two who'll.
sale hardware houses six wholesale fruit
houses, six Wholesale cigar and tobacco
houses. one wholesale clothing house, one
wholesale leather house, one wholesale
harness and harness supply house. one
wholesale book and stationary house one
wholesale paper and newspaper supply
house, one wholesale queensware house,
one wholesale jeweIry house. one whole
sale drug house, one wholesale millinery
house and one Wholesale carriage house,
making at the close Of 1886 about thirty.
five wholesale houses Besides this there
are retail houses which do large jobhing
trade. The Wichita Cracker and Coufec
tioDery Company sells in kan-<s, Missouri,
Colorado, New Mexico and Arkansas.
The Royal Spice aud Coffee Mills do an
extensive outside business. rs also do two
galvanized iron cornice factories and
canning factory l could not mention all
the large industries. but have given you
the chief ones.
OF course. the absorbing topic at present
is real estate. ~ Wichita is en- joying a ire
meudous boom" 1t Is fact that several
ladies started for drive into the country a
few mornings ago. but owing to the news
of the location Of = college they had 10 re
turn 10 take their properly off the market
before they could finish the drive Indeed
they questioned whether they ought to go
at all. SO every one has the fever But it
is Il fact that fortunes are made in almos,
no time by handling real estate, 30 rapidly
is the value rising.
Wichita is we'll provided with financial
institutions. which have been established
from necessity It has six banks, eiyh;
private banking companies. and loan sod
investment companies TOO numerous u
meution" II also has the only clearing
house in the state The business of
the clearing house for the p-s;
week amounted 10 about 81. 600 .Glo.
against $250. 0a0 for the CORES
pooding week OF last year. The real e.
tate transfers amount 10 over 81. 900 900 a
week. Wichita is well supplied with horse
railroad liues, having about twenty five
miles of track ami c1o-e '.ny ,,uilr. No
tor Ii; e Are being c. n cted for. SO that
In >ti:t iil.s il sIii aa,e lCiyaiei means
OF transit Ia 1883 the ely was frst lii
vi h gas ant m, ne are electric lights
all over the city. The first newspaper was
started in 1877 Now thsre are tive Or SIX
csiiie, and 4 zen weekiirs
To Kingssooians the regularity Of The